Machine for forming straws

ABSTRACT

A machine for folding straws to temporarily alter a straw&#39;&#39;s configuration, shorten it and form a liquid-tight seal in the straw. The straw is positioned against an anvil and a hammer creases it on a crease line oblique to the straw&#39;&#39;s axis. A pair of die elements moving transversely of the straw folds an upper section about this crease line and a second crease line into perpendicular relationship with a lower straw section while forming a liquid-tight seal at the folds.

United States Paten Schmitt v 1 May-2, 1972 54] MACHINE FOR FORMING STRAWS 3,242,828 3/1966 Larkin ..93/94 R [72] Inventor: J stin M. Schmitt, Pompano Beach, Fla. [73] Assignee: Jenos, lnc., Duluth, Minn. 3,452,516 7/1969 Smith p ..93/84 TW [22] Filed: Nov. 27, 1970 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS [21] Appl. No.: 93,081 1,246,318 10/1960 France 717,909 11/1954 Great Britain...

' 4 52 U.S.CI ..93/84 TW,93/36.8, 93 94 R 87055 6/1961 Great 93/9 R [51] ..B3ld5/04,B3lcll/02,B31b45/00 P E A M J [58] Field of Search ..99 171 B; 229 7 5; 93/36 M, s f i 2 1 93/368, 84 TW, 94 R [57] ABSTRACT [56] References Cited A machine for folding straws to temporarily alter a straws UNITED STATES PATENTS configuration, shorten it and form a liquid-tight seal in the straw. The straw is positioned against an anvil and a hammer 2,054,024 9/1936 Pye ..93/84 TW creases it on acrease line oblique to the straws axis A pair of 244039l 4/1948 Bogos lowsky' die elements moving transversely of the straw folds an upper 2,460,939 2/1949 Ludwig ..93/94 R Section abou this crease line and a Second crease line into 2,466,830 4/1949 Tofflemire ..93/84 TW perpendicular relationship with a lower Straw Section while 2,800,265 7/1957 Pugh. ..229/7 5 forming a ]iquid tight sea] at the f 2,901,357 8/1959 Epstein... .99/171 B 3,122,297 2/1964 Sachs ..229/7 S 9 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures Patented May 2, 1972 2 SheetsSheet l flguz.

I? 5% w% M w MACHINE FOR FORMING STRAWS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates in general to a machine for folding straws. It deals, more specifically, with a machine for folding a straw to temporarily alter the straws configuration, shorten it, and form a liquid-tight seal in the straw.

In the co-pending application of applicant, Ser. No. 32,933, filed Apr. 29, 1970, entitled STANDABLE FLEXIBLE CON- TAINER WITH STRAW AND METHOD OF MANUFAC- TURING SAME, the construction and use of a compartmented container having a straw extending between compartments is disclosed. One aspect of this invention is the arrangement and use of a fold complex in the straw which serves to shorten the straw and facilitate its proper positioning within one of the container compartments, as well as defining a seal against the passage of liquid through the straw between compartments until the straw is unfolded. The present invention is specifically concerned with a machine for performing a fold sequence on a conventional plastic drinking straw to establish this fold complex.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A primary object of the invention is to provide a simple machine for forming multiple folds in a conventional drinking straw to temporarilyalter the straws configuration and shorten it while establishing a seal at the folds against the passage of liquid between the container compartments. Another object is to provide a machine which performs a straw folding operation of the aforedescribed nature with a minimum of operations, in the simplest and most expeditious manner.

The foregoing and other objects are realized in accord with the present invention by providing a straw folding machine including a horizontal work table having a slot extending through it. The slot is uni-directional and extends from the front edge to the back edge of the table. Straw folding mechanism is mounted on top of the table and straw holding mechanism beneath it.

A clamping arrangement beneath the table releasably clamps a straw which extends up through the slot perpendicular to the table adjacent the leading edge of the table. The clamping arrangement is movable under the table so as to carry the straw longitudinally along the length of the slot from front edge to back edge.

Mounted on the table top, on one side of and immediately adjacent the slot, is an anvil member against which the straw is initially positioned by the clamping arrangement. Also mounted on the table top, opposite the slot from the anvil, is a hammer and its actuator, which moves the hammer transversely of the slot to compress and crease the straw against the anvil.

The hammer includes a linear hammer surface which extends transversely of the axis of the upright straw and upwardly at an angle of 45 to the plane of the table top. As a result, the straw is creased across its width along a line inclined upwardly from the table top in the direction of travel of the straw through the slot. This first crease divides the straw into an upper section and a lower section.

Mounted adjacent to and above the anvil on the table top is a primary straw bending die and its solenoid actuator. Its actuator moves the primary die parallel to the table top and at an angle of 45 to the slot, transversely of the slot into engagement with the upstanding upper section of the straw. Continued movement of the primary die folds the upper section of the straw about the first crease into right angle relationship with the lower section of the straw. In this relationship, the upper section of the straw lies substantially flush with the table top at a horizontal angle of 45 to the slot. As the upper section of the straw is folded downwardly into this relationship, however, when it reaches an inclination of approximately vertically from the table top, the hammer is withdrawn by its solenoidactuator to permit further folding of the straw to take place about the first crease without interference by the hammer.

With the upper section of the straw folded about the 54 first crease into parallel relationship with the table top, a secondary die and actuator mounted adjacent to and parallel with the hammer and its actuator is energized. The secondary die moves at a horizontal angle of to the slot to engage the free end of the upper section of the straw. The secondary die, having engaged the free end of the upper section of the straw, retains it in its initially folded relationship while the primary die is withdrawn by its solenoid actuator.

The secondary die then moves across the slot. forcing the upper section of the straw to rotate across the slot in a plane parallel to the table top. As the straws upper section passes over the slot it creases a second time and begins to fold about this crease at the corresponding vertical edge of the lower straw section which has been partially flattened in this area by the hammer imparted first crease, the initial downward movement of the straws upper section, and the following rotational movement.

After the upper straw section has begun to fold about the second crease and the section has actually rotated approximately 45 past the slot, its free end encounters a stop and guide member. Further movement of the secondary die forces the upper straw section tip to bend and snap past the stop and guide member, after which the secondary die is withdrawn by its solenoid actuator, leaving the upper straw section biased against the member guide by its own tendency to unfold.

The guide clamp actuator is then energized to move the straw longitudinally through the slot toward the back edge of the table. This movement completes the fold of the upper section of the straw about the second edge because its free end is restrained and guided by the stop and guide member. Folding of the upper section of the straw about the second crease continues until it has been folded into alignment with the slot, thus completing a 360 revolution of the straws upper section about its own axis through two folds at the first crease and the second crease.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of a straw folding machine embodying features of the invention, with a straw in its container positioned for folding;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the machine illustrated in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged plan view of a portion of the straw folding machine, including the straw anvil and hammer, as well as a primary die element, with the straw creased on a first crease line for initial folding;

FIG. 4 is a view taken along line 4-4 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged plan view similar to FIG. 3 with the die element shown partially through its operation of initially folding the straw;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged plan view similar to FIGS. 3 and 5 showing the straw after completion of initial folding and immediately prior to further folding by a second die element;

FIG. 7 is an enlarged plan view similar to FIG, 6 showing the secondary die element as it is about to withdraw after further folding the straw about a second crease line; and

FIG. 8 is an enlarged front elevational view of the folded straw, with parts removed.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawings, and particularly to FIGS. 1 and 2, a machine embodying features of the invention for folding a straw to temporarily alter the straws configuration, shorten it, and form a liquid-tight seal in the straw, is illustrated generally at 10. The machine, shown in diagrammatic form, includes a table top 11 normally arranged in horizontal relationship, with a vertical slot 12 through it, extending between the front edge 13 and a back edge 14 of the table. The slot 12 is, as will be noticed, straight or uni-directional between the front and back edges.

Mounted beneath the table 11, for travel longitudinally of the slot 12 is a straw and container clamping arrangement 20 and its solenoid actuated rod 21. The clamping arrangement includes upper and lower clamps 22 for gripping the vertical side edge of a liquid filled container C as well as a straw S extending upwardly out of the container and through the slot 12 in vertical relationship. An upper straw holder 26 also grips the straw S and the container C at a horizontal seal line in the container which contains liquid in its lower compartment, as described in detail in the aforementioned co-pending application entitled STANDABLE FLEXIBLE CONTAINER WITH STRAW AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURING SAME.

The conventional solenoid actuator is adapted to move the clamping arrangement horizontally under the table, longitudinally of the slot 12, so as to correspondingly move the straw S along the slow while it protrudes upwardly therethrough. The conventional solenoid actuator is arranged for two-step operation. After the container and straw are fitted into the clamp 22 and the straw holder 26, the solenoid actuator is energized to move the straw S and container C in a first step into the position with the straw extending upwardly through the slot 12 immediately adjacent a straw creasing anvil 30.

The straw creasing anvil 30 has an arcuate face so that the straw S does not catch on the anvil as it moves into engagement with the anvil surface 31. With the straw S positioned against the anvil surface 31 immediately above the surface of the table top 11, a straw creasing hammer 34 is moved by its actuator 35 transversely of the slot to compress and crease the straw S against the anvil surface 31.

The hammer 34 includes a linear hammer surface or pin 37 which extends transversely of the axis of the straw S and upwardly at an angle of 45 to the plane of the table top 11, as seen in FIG. 4. As a result, when the hammer 34 is actuated by its conventional solenoid actuator 35, the straw S is creased across its width along a line inclined upwardly from the table top 11 in the direction of travel of the straw through the slot 12. This first crease line L (see FIG. 8) divides the straw into an upper section 40 and a lower section 41.

Mounted adjacent to and above the anvil 30 on the table top 11 is a primary straw bending die and its conventional solenoid actuator 46. The solenoid actuator 46 is adapted, upon being energized, to move the primary die 45 parallel to the table top 11, and at an angle of 45 to the slot 12, transversely of the slot into engagement with the upstanding upper section 40 of the straw S, as seen in FIG. 3. Continued movement of the primary die 45 folds the upper section 40 of the straw S about the first crease L made by the linear anvil surface 37 into right angle relationship with the lower section 41 of the straw. at a In this relationship, the upper section 40 of the straw S lies substantially flush with the table top at horizontal angle of 45 with the slot. As the upper section 40 of the straw S is folded downwardly into this relationship, however, when it reaches an inclination of approximately 15 to the vertical from the table top 11, the solenoid actuator 35 for the hammer 34 is energized to withdraw the hammer 34 and permit further folding of the straw about its first crease line L to take place without interference by the hammer.

The primary die 45 actually comprises a die block which has a guide trough 48 formed in its lower surface for engaging and retaining the upper section 40 of the straw S as it folds the straw about the first crease L,. This guide trough 48 guides the straw section 40 and prevents lateral movement out of its prescribed path into the aforedescribed relationship wherein the upper section of the straw lies substantially flush with the table top at a horizontal angle of45 to the slot.

With the upper section 40 of the straw folded about the first crease L, at an angle of 45 to the axis of the straw into parallel relationship with the table top, a secondary die and its actuator 56 mounted on the table top 1 1 adjacent to and parallel with the hammer 34 and its actuator 35-is energized. The actuator 56 moves the secondary die 55 at a horizontal angle of 90 to the slot 12 to engage the free end 60 of the upper section 40 of the straw S, as illustrated in FIG. 6. The die 55 has a guide trough'62 formed in its outermost surface for engaging and retaining the tip 60 of the straw. The secondary die 55, having engaged the free end 60 of the straw 25, retains it in this initially folded relationship while the primary die 45 is withdrawn by its solenoid actuator 46.

The secondary die 55 then continues its travel across the slot 12, forcing the upper section 40 of the straw to rotate across the slot in a plane parallel to the table top 11. As the straws upper section 40 passes over the slot, it creases a second time along the vertical line L and begins to fold about the corresponding vertical edge of the bottom straw section 41 which has been partially flattened in this area by the hammer 34 imparted first crease L the initial downward movement of the straws upper section 40, and the following rotational movement of this straw section 40.

After the upper straw section 40 has begun to fold about the second crease line L and the section has actually rotated approximately 30-45 past the slot 12, its free end 60 encounters a guide member 65, as best seen in FIGS. 6 and 7. Further movement of the secondary die 55 forces the upper straw section 40 tip to bend and snap past the guide member 65. The straw is guided by the guide trough 62 on the die element 55, which is arcuate in configuration so as to extend along one side as well as the end of the die element, as it forces the straw section past the guide member 65.

The actuator 56 is then de-energized, permitting the secondary die 55 to be withdrawn. The upper straw section 40 remains in this first partially folded relationship, biased against the guide member 65 by its own tendency to unfold due to the resiliency of the plastic material from which the straw is fabricated.

The guide member 65 is an elongated strip paralleling the slot 12 and having a trough 66 formed in its inner surface and terminating at one endin a curved trough section 67. It is the curved trough section 67 which the tip 60 of the straw first engages as it is forced into contact with the guide member 65 by the driving force of the secondary die 55. This trough section serves to prevent the upper straw section 40 from moving out of its prescribed path of movement parallel to the surface of the table 1 1.

The guide clamp actuator 21 is then effective to move the clamping arrangement 20 and, accordingly, the straw longitudinally in the slot 12 in a second step toward the back edge 14 of the table 11. This movement completes the folding of the top section 40 of the straw S about the second crease line L because the free end 60 of the straw is restrained by the beveled guide 65, the progressively folding upper straw section 40 being guided in further folding in the trough section 66 as it is drawn past the guide member which is mounted immediately adjacent the slot 12. Folding of the upper section 40 of the straw about the crease line L continues until it has been folded into alignment into the slot 12, thus completing a 270 revolution of the straw top section 40 about its own axis through two folds at the first crease line L and the second crease line L At this point, the guide clamp arrangement 20 of the machine 10 may be actuated to release the straw and facilitate its removal. If, as in practice, the straw is already inserted in a liquid filled container beneath the work table 11 during the straw folding operation and the container moves along during the operation, it is the preferred practice to continue the guide clamp arrangement movement into the next stage operation, which comprises closing the top compartment of the container over the folded and sealed straw. This is accomplished in another stage of machine operation which forms no part of the present invention and, accordingly, is not illustrated or described. 1

The machine 10 has been described in terms of a series of operation of dies 45, 55, and the anvil 30 and hammer 34, actuated by various solenoid actuators in a prescribed sequence. The sequence of these operations, in conjunction with the operation of the actuator 21 which powers the clamping arrangement 20, is pro-established in a conventional manner by a suitable timing device, micro-switches and attendent circuitry. In the alternative, of course, the energization of the machine actuators could be accomplished manually.

While the embodiment described herein is at present considered to be preferred, it is understood that various modifications and improvements may be made therein.

What is desired to be claimed and secured by Letters Patent of the United States is:

l. A machine for folding a straw to temporarily change the configuration and dimensions of the straw and form a liquid tight seal in the straw, comprising:

a. anvil means,

b. means for holding the straw with its cylindrical side wall disposed immediately adjacent said anvil means,

c. hammer means having a linear contact surface which is movable into engagement with said anvil means and adapted to press the straw against said anvil means and crease the straw on a first crease line extending transver" sely of the straw axis and oblique thereto, and

d. die means movable transversely of the straw and adapted to fold an upper section of the straw about the first crease line into a position perpendicular to the lower section of the straw and then fold the perpendicular upper straw section about a second crease line parallel to the unfolded straw axis while maintaining the upper section of the straw perpendicular to the lower section of the straw and forming a fluid tight seal at the folds.

2. The straw folding machine of claim 1 further characterized in that:

a. said die means includes primary die means movable transversely of the straw and adapted to engage the straw opposite said angle and above the first crease line and fold the upper section of the straw about the first crease line,

b. secondary die means movable transversely of the axis of the unfolded straw in a path off-set to one side of the axis and adapted to engage the upper section of the straw in its position perpendicular to the lower straw section and fold the upper straw section about the second crease line,

c. guide member means for retaining said upper straw section after it has been folded a predetermined amount about the second crease line, and,

d. means for moving said straw relative to said guide member means to complete the folding of the upper section of the straw about the second crease line.

3. The straw folding machine of claim 2 further characterized by and including:

a. table top means,

b. uni-directional slot means extending through said table top means,

c. said straw holding means adapted to position the straw extending through said slot means perpendicular to the table top means.

4. The straw folding machine of claim 3 further characterized in that:

a. said anvil means is mounted on said table slot means on one side of said slot means,

b. said hammer means is mounted on said table top means on the opposite side of said slot means and said linear contact surface is movable across said slot means,

c. said primary die means is mounted on said table top means on said one side of said slot means and is movable across said slot means,

d. said secondary die means is mounted on said table top means on said other side of said slot means and is movable across said slot means, and

e. said guide means is mounted on said table top means on said one side of said slot means.

5. The straw folding machine of claim 4 further characterized in that:

a. said primary die means is movable transversely of said slot means at an angle oblique to said slot means, and

b. said secondary die means is movable transversely of said slot means and perpendicular to said slot means.

6. The straw folding machine of claim 5 further characterized in that: I I

a. said primary die means has a straw engaging groove formed in its outermost surface and extending onto the lowermost surface of said primary die means substantially along its length.

7. The straw folding machine of claim 6 further characterized in that:

a. said secondary die means has a straw engaging groove formed in its outermost surface and extending along one side of said secondary die means substantially along its length.

8. The straw folding machine of claim 7 further characterized in that:

a. said guide means comprises an elongated guide member extending parallel to and immediately adjacent said slot means.

9. The straw folding machine of claim 8 further characterized in that:

a. said anvil means includes an elongated member extending generally parallel to said slot means, said elongated member curving away from said slot means at its leading end. 

1. A machine for folding a straw to temporarily change the configuration and dimensions of the straw and form a liquid tight seal in the straw, comprising: a. anvil means, b. means for holding the straw with its cylindrical side wall disposed immediately adjacent said anvil means, c. hammer means having a linear contact surface which is movable into engagement with said anvil means and adapted to press the straw against said anvil means and crease the straw on a first crease line extending transversely of the straw axis and oblique thereto, and d. die means movable transversely of the straw and adapted to fold an upper section of the straw about the first crease line into a position perpendicular to the lower section of the straw and then fold the perpendicular upper straw section about a second crease line parallel to the unfolded straw axis while maintaining the upper section of the straw perpendicular to the lower section of the straw and forming a fluid tight seal at the folds.
 2. The straw folding machine of claim 1 further characterized in that: a. said die means includes primary die means movable transversely of the straw and adapted to engage the straw opposite said angle and above the first crease line and fold the upper section of the straw about the first crease line, b. secondaRy die means movable transversely of the axis of the unfolded straw in a path off-set to one side of the axis and adapted to engage the upper section of the straw in its position perpendicular to the lower straw section and fold the upper straw section about the second crease line, c. guide member means for retaining said upper straw section after it has been folded a predetermined amount about the second crease line, and, d. means for moving said straw relative to said guide member means to complete the folding of the upper section of the straw about the second crease line.
 3. The straw folding machine of claim 2 further characterized by and including: a. table top means, b. uni-directional slot means extending through said table top means, c. said straw holding means adapted to position the straw extending through said slot means perpendicular to the table top means.
 4. The straw folding machine of claim 3 further characterized in that: a. said anvil means is mounted on said table slot means on one side of said slot means, b. said hammer means is mounted on said table top means on the opposite side of said slot means and said linear contact surface is movable across said slot means, c. said primary die means is mounted on said table top means on said one side of said slot means and is movable across said slot means, d. said secondary die means is mounted on said table top means on said other side of said slot means and is movable across said slot means, and e. said guide means is mounted on said table top means on said one side of said slot means.
 5. The straw folding machine of claim 4 further characterized in that: a. said primary die means is movable transversely of said slot means at an angle oblique to said slot means, and b. said secondary die means is movable transversely of said slot means and perpendicular to said slot means.
 6. The straw folding machine of claim 5 further characterized in that: a. said primary die means has a straw engaging groove formed in its outermost surface and extending onto the lowermost surface of said primary die means substantially along its length.
 7. The straw folding machine of claim 6 further characterized in that: a. said secondary die means has a straw engaging groove formed in its outermost surface and extending along one side of said secondary die means substantially along its length.
 8. The straw folding machine of claim 7 further characterized in that: a. said guide means comprises an elongated guide member extending parallel to and immediately adjacent said slot means.
 9. The straw folding machine of claim 8 further characterized in that: a. said anvil means includes an elongated member extending generally parallel to said slot means, said elongated member curving away from said slot means at its leading end. 